Teardrops On My Guitar
by Yondaime Namikaze
Summary: Part 1 of 10. Multi-story songfics based on songs by Taylor Swift. Drew lets slip that he's met the girl of his dreams and May, realizing that she can not have him, must mask her newly acknowledged feelings. Easier said than done. How does Drew really feel about all this? *I know this story idea has been done many times before, but I hope to put in my own twists to the story*
1. Eyes On Me

**Hey, readers! I'm still working on my other May x Drew story, so in the meantime, I have come up with a new mini-series based on songs by Taylor Swift. I'm also writing a mini-series for the InuYasha fandom which is similar, but based on songs by Pink. This series will be about eight stories long with an undecided amount of chapters all of varying lengths. First up, as you can see is the oh-so-original "Teardrops on my Guitar" story.**

**P.S. These stories will be partly AU and partly canon. I dunno how this is going to turn out since I'm kinda "winging it", so hopefully it doesn't suck too badly. So…onward we go.**

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Chapter 1: Eyes On Me  
Grade Level: 6.6

I could feel them behind me. Drew Hayden's eyes were definitely concentrated on me as I practiced alone for my next upcoming contest. Ash and the gang had offered to stick around and help out, but I told them that it wasn't necessary, that I could do it myself this time. They had gone to find something to eat. Typical boys, always looking for food.

My pokémon were at ease and ready for the contest. Their excitement was evident as they concentrated their attacks of appeal as we had practiced over and over many times. The Grand Festival was still a ways away, but I knew that the closer we got, the harder my competition would be. In fact, I probably should've known that Drew would be participating in this contest. However, I had attempted to push thoughts of him from my mind. I didn't want to, but it hurt to think about him now that he had started to talk about…her.

Recently, in yet another effort to brag of his superiority over me, Drew let slip an enigmatic piece of information that had immediately sent chills through my body. He had found a girl, one that he claimed to be the most beautiful and talented of any he had ever met. My heart had immediately sunk.

Don't get me wrong. It isn't like I actually **_like_** Drew Hayden…well…actually, I don't quite know how I feel about him. However, once he had let that slip, I knew that any chance I may have had with him was gone. I mean, come on, a girl who is both beautiful **_and_** talented in Drew Hayden's eyes? She would practically have to be a goddess. That is the height of his standards.

Since that day, I tried my best to avoid Drew because, sadly, he has always been able to read me like an open book. If he saw me, he would immediately know that something was up and ask me about it. How am I supposed to tell him that I'm jealous of this girl whom I've never even met? Worse yet, that I'm jealous of him and this girl even though I usually appear to be completely upset by Drew and his taunting?

Content with my practice for the afternoon, I called my Pokémon back to their Pokéballs and set off on the task of finding Ash and the others. As I turned around, I, as expected, caught Drew's gaze which was still trained on me. I forced a smile which I hoped, from that distance, he wouldn't notice as fake. He must not have noticed my depression as he just silently watched me walk from the beach, never taking his eyes off my retreating form.

That one small smile always had the task of masking so much emotion. I never allowed the crowds around me to see how I was really feeling. A few times, Ash had read deeper into my fake smiles and laughs, asking me if I wanted to talk about something. Each time, I would tell him that everything was fine, because, really, how could Ash ever understand what I was going through?

Walking away from Drew, I waited until I was far enough away from him and alone to let the mask fall. I should've known he would be here. I should've mentally prepared myself for this moment. Instead, I had attempted to push all those thoughts aside and now this moment hurt more than a dagger to the heart...not that I have **_any_** experience whatsoever with that feeling, but if I had to guess, I'd think it was similar to what I was feeling now.

Briefly, I wondered if that girl would be a spectator…or a contestant…or maybe she was just some girl from his hometown or someone he met on his own travels who would be watching the contest on TV. As these thoughts passed through my mind, I realized that the unthinkable had happened. Sometime between now and when I first met Drew, I had fallen hard for him. I needed him. No, I wanted him. But, clearly, I wasn't meant to have him.

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**Think I'll stop there for now. I will most likely go verse-by-verse of the songs, listening to said verse of the chapter and writing what comes to my mind. Chapters probably won't be overwhelmingly long. Sometime when I get some time, I'll get chapter 2 written up and posted. Hope this was enjoyable.**

**Posted: June 12, 2012**


	2. I'll Bet She's Beautiful

**Alright, everyone, here's chapter 2. Thanks for the positive feedback (reviews and alerts) on the first chapter. Time to keep the momentum going in this chapter. Although, I'm pretty sure it'll be a little shorter. Hopefully, I can get chapter 3 out quickly after this one is posted. This chapter may not be as good, but I hope it's enjoyable.**

**Pokémon belongs to its creator (Satoshi Tajiri) and this song (which is implied within the story) belongs to Taylor Swift).**

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Chapter 2: I'll Bet She's Beautiful  
Grade Level: 4.5

Tomorrow was the day. The contest would open tomorrow and, despite feeling ready, deep down I still felt a little nervous, but, of course, that was normal, I suppose. This contest was big…I mean…all contests were big, but as the Grand Festival approaches, the competition will get tougher. Hopefully I can keep my mind off of Drew long enough to concentrate.

Currently, I sat alone on the beach where I'd been spending days honing the skills I wanted my pokémon to display in the contest. Watching the waves roll in and out usually proved comforting to me, but today I did not even notice them. Instead, I was lost in my thoughts, thoughts that were again dominated by Drew Hayden and his mysterious crush. The warm ocean wind tossed my hair and swept over my bare arms and legs. Normally, I would welcome it, but today it felt cold to me and I pulled my legs up, wrapping my arms around them, so that I could rest my chin on my knees.

How did this happen? How did I fall so hard for Drew? I always knew that he was way out of my league. As much as I did not want to see this girl that I had heard about from Drew, I wanted to see what his type of girl was. I knew she would have to be a goddess on earth, but just how perfect was she?

It was almost strange how little time Ash and the rest of my friends were spending with me lately. Maybe they could sense that I wanted to just be alone. Of course, today, I had told them that I wanted to spend the day practicing one last time before the contest opened early tomorrow morning. However, that had been a lie. Not once had I touched a pokéball since I had arrived on this beach.

I stared, unseeing, out into the endless ocean. Pokémon trainers and their families played happily in the water, their heads and upper bodies bobbing with the waves that crashed in and rolled back out. Little kids squealed happily everytime a larger wave would approach the surface, tossing them upwards easily.

"Hey, May. I thought you were practicing today."

The voice startled me…but, of course, that wasn't hard to do. I hadn't exactly been in touch with reality today. Turning, I noticed that Ash, Brock, and Max had arrived to check up on me and see how I was doing with my "practice." I didn't want to tell my friends the truth, but I didn't want to lie to them. Lying would have to do. Someday I'd tell them the truth…just…not yet. "I'm just taking a break. I don't want to work my pokémon too hard. That way they'll be all ready for tomorrow."

"Yeah, that makes sense. As long as you feel confident, they'll feel confident. That was the advice you got at your first contest ever, remember?" Ash told me. He was always good at comforting me…when it came to Pokémon, but when it came to matters of the heart…not so much.

I nodded quickly, not trusting myself to say too much. Before they could pick up on my strange behaviors (if they hadn't already), I turned back to the ocean.

"Hey, sis, are you interested in getting lunch? We were thinking about doing that pretty soon."

Shaking my head, I answered my younger brother's question, "Nah, I'm okay. I'll get something later."

That being said, the boys left and I was again alone on the beach. My thoughts, like always, did little to comfort me. **_I'll bet she's beautiful. That girl he talks about. She'd have to be. Someone like me would have absolutely no chance with him. That's probably what he taunts and teases me. I always hoped it was because he wanted me to get better so we could enter more contests together, but, maybe he does it because he wants me to go back to Petalburg and away from him_**. Those were harsh thoughts, but my mind did not push them away.

"Hey, did you wanna grab lunch or something?"

"I already told you, Ash…" I turned and stopped, realizing that the guy who had spoken to me this time was not him. "Oh, sorry, Drew, I…thought you were…"

"Ash. Yeah, I can tell," he replied with a smirk, cutting me off. "So, do you?"

It was clear that Drew had been swimming in the ocean. He wore a pair of purple swim trunks and had a towel slung across his shoulders. His emerald hair was still wet and clung to his forehead and back of his neck. I didn't know how to answer because, as much as I wanted to go with Drew, I knew that I couldn't; it would hurt way too much…so I declined. "Sorry, Drew. I'm not hungry."

"Well…okay, then. I guess I'll just go shower, change, and ask Brianna if she'd like to go, then. Seeya around, May, and good luck in the contest." Without another word, he left me to, again, be alone on the beach with my thoughts.

So, there's a name now to this mystery girl. Brianna…and apparently she was here since Drew was going to ask her out to dinner. Was it going to be a date? No doubt it would be. This would be a perfect opportunity for him. Good thing I declined his offer. Is this "Brianna" a contestant in the contest or is she just here to be a spectator, to cheer on Drew? Either way, I would like to see her just once…to see what "Drew's type" of girl is…to tell her how lucky she is to be loved by him. This Brianna has Drew's heart…everything I've always had to live without…and I'm not getting it anytime soon.

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**A name has been revealed. Oh the suspense. Also, this is the AU that I was talking about. In this, May never met Brianna. In addition, they're all older. Instead of 10, I'm thinking around 18 or 19.**

**I apologize if the ending felt kinda rushed. It's late here and I have to be up early tomorrow, but I really wanted to get this chapter finished and up for everyone. Next chapter will be up soon and there will be more Drew in it. This chapter was lacking in Drew-awesomeness. XD**

**Well, peace all, I'm going to bed. Until the next update…**

**Posted: June 26, 2012**

**Edited: July 1, 20112**


	3. The Contest Begins!

**The support on this story is allowing me to update it faster than my other ones. I tend to update based on which story receives the most hits on its most recent update. I've always done it this way because I feel that statistic shows me which stories of mine are most anticipated.**

**Anyway, here's more Drew in this chapter…and it's the start of the contest too. Finally, I hope this doesn't come out sounding rushed or awkward or something. I've been working on this for a few days now (while also finishing up my summer course) and, if I don't write something up within the same day, it tends to sound broken…like my experiences one day give me a different type of story than they do another day. I really don't know how to describe it.**

**So, here goes with the next chapter/verse…**

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Chapter 3: The Contest Begins!  
Grade Level: 5.1

The night flew by and, before I knew it, morning had begun. I had barely had any time to think before finding myself sitting in the room backstage with all the other contestants, all waiting for the chance to show the judges their skills in the appeals round.

I had tried to distance myself from Drew by standing in the corner, leaning my back against the wall and crossing my arms over my chest. From the corner, I could still see the TV on the wall which showed me the competition that I was up against. Based on what I was seeing, I knew that I would need to be completely focused the minute I stepped onto that stage.

Ahead of me, standing near the TV, was Drew. Like me, he was studying the TV, analyzing the other coordinators' skills and planning his own moves. I know this is what he is doing because we used to do it together. Of course, neither of us would give away our plans to the other, but we wouldn't pass up an opportunity to complement to each other on a performance that we found particularly stunning.

He must have noticed that I was not there with him like usual because I noticed him glancing slyly around the room. Finally, his eyes locked onto mine. We stood that way for a minute, our eyes locked on each other's. I didn't really want to look away, but I knew that I had to. I could not allow myself to lose my concentration today simply because of Drew Hayden; there was way too much at stake in this contest for me to screw up. When I glanced back up, I noticed that Drew, hands in his pockets, was walking, nonchalantly, over to me.

Positioning himself next to me, he mimicked my position, leaning his back on the wall and crossing his arms over his chest. Drew, I knew, was never one to really start a conversation with me. In all the times we've talked, usually it's me who picks a topic. Once I've picked a topic, though, we could talk for hours. However, anytime Drew had ever tried to start a conversation with me, he began with a taunt or a boast; this tactic always ultimately failed because I would become so angry with him and we'd never actually talk.

We stood in silence, a prickling silence that rippled tension through the air around us. I had no intention of starting a conversation; I didn't want to risk breaking down again with him right there beside me. That wouldn't bode well for my appeals display either. I definitely did not want the judges to see me after I've been crying…I mean, I know they're only supposed to judge the pokémon and their performances, but I still wanted to look my best.

"Everyone's appeals all look so well-developed and stunning," Drew spoke up, clearly trying to begin a conversation with me. Drew actually attempted to start a discussion WITHOUT a taunt or a boast? Was this really Drew Hayden? I glanced quickly over at him and my heart immediately raced. Yep, this is definitely Drew Hayden. Only he had this effect on me. My breath constricted in my throat and I could've sworn that my lungs had ceased to function. Can he tell? Can he tell that I can't breathe?

"Yeah, I guess we'll have to really put on a good show this time," I replied, faking a laugh.

The silence returned then and Drew did not attempt to restart the conversation. I guess he could tell that I did not really feel like talking with him.

"Hey, May! We came to wish you good luck!"

I jumped at the sound of Ash's voice and I could hear the smirk on Drew's face as he noticed. This was becoming more and more frequent. Did I really lose all track of my surroundings when Drew was near?

"Hi, guys. Thanks for the support," I told them with a genuine smile; I was not going to let my mood affect something that I loved so much.

"You're gonna do great, sis," Max continued, showing his support. It's times like these when I really am glad that my brother decided to travel on my journey with me. Now, those times when he just acted like a little know-it-all, not so much.

Looking up, I smiled at my friends, showing them that I felt mentally prepared. It felt so good to genuinely smile again. I always felt like I was pushing everyone away when I faked my smiles and laughs. I glanced to where Drew was, but I found that he was no longer there. "Drew?" I whispered.

I didn't think the others had heard me, but they may have noticed my confusion because Ash addressed me and pointed to the TV.

"Next up, we have the ever popular Drew!" Lillian announced. The crowd roared with applause and cheers, fueling the smirk present on Drew's face. Throughout his performance, I could not pull my eyes from the screen in front of me. Drew's presentation was thoroughly planned out and it was clear that he had captured the attention of both the audience and the judgers. Once the performance ended, the judges gave their reviews based on what they had seen. They had nothing but positive remarks. Applause and shouts again sounded from the audience as Drew left the stage.

Doubt returned and consumed my optimism. I had been so confident that I was ready, but, seeing Drew's performance and the crowd's reactions to it worried me. Never had I ever beaten Drew in the appeals round and it looks as if I won't be doing that today.

"We're gonna go back to our seats now, May. See ya in a bit," Brock told me as my friends left the backstage room to watch the rest of the round.

It was almost my turn so I moved closer to the door, waiting. I knew that I would have to see Drew one more time before I took the stage; there was no way to avoid it. Either I would see him as he reentered the room or he would see me as I left to walk down the hallway to the stage. I knew that it was my turn to get "on deck" because I was on after the next contestant. As I walked down the hallway, Drew walked slowly toward the waiting room. His eyes were closed as he walked and his hands were again in his pockets; he looked confidant, but, why shouldn't he? He had just blown everyone away with a stunning performance.

"Good luck, May," he spoke quietly to me as he passed. Without another word, we continued walking our separate ways.

Backstage, I took a seat in one of the waiting chairs and attempted to calm my nerves. Why was my heart beating so fast? Is it because I am up next? Yes, that must be it. I mean…it can't be because of…Drew, can it?

Applause from the crowd pulled me from my thoughts. It was my turn. Quickly, I swiped my hand down to my belt. Good. I definitely did not want to forget my pokéballs.

"Next up, we have May!" Vivian announced to the crowd, earning a large of round of applause and shouts of cheers. No going back now. The crowd was waiting.

I ran out to take my place in the contestant's box on the near side of the stage. Before beginning my performance, I turned to quickly bow to the crowd. They were ready to see what I had to offer and I was ready to give them a good show.

My concentration was set fully on this stage and all the possibilities it held. Again, I brought my hand down to my belt and grabbed the pokéball that I had conveniently placed within my reach. It's time.

"Beautifly, take the stage!"

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**Longest chapter of the story! Yay!**

**Also, if you can't tell, I suck at detailing Pokémon battles and contests so I just provided the details necessary to get an idea. Imagination is a fantastic thing. ;) …. Plus, I like this as the ending for the chapter. It provides it a little closure.**

**Well, my summer class is finished now, but I already said that. Hopefully, I'll update soon. I've been hanging out on forums that I haven't had time to visit lately…and reading lovely Hunger Games fanfics. It's an obsession, I tell ya.**

**Anyway, more Drew and May goodness coming right up in the next chapter…whenever I get that out to ya'll. Thanks so much for all the support.**

**P.S. For some lolz, as I was about to start editing this, "Teardrops on my Guitar" came up on my AOL Radio. Even the internet wants me to post this tonight. ;D**

**Posted: July 6th, 2012**


	4. So In Love

**I intended to start writing this chapter a whole day earlier, but I got an idea for a Hunger Games fanfic and just HAD to start that. I apologize.**

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Chapter 4: So In Love  
Grade Level: 4.5

I finished my performance and went back to the room. Now to wait for the announcement of the top contestants that would advance to the next round. I was not worried about moving on; the judges were stunned by Beautifly's performance and I had scored pretty high.

As I entered the room, Drew noticed and came back to, for once, tell me how spectacular my performance was. However, he still hinted that I "could do better" and that I was "not nearly as good" as him.

"Oh, yeah, my friend Brianna stopped in to watch your performance with me on the screen. She's a coordinator too, but she wanted to take this contest off to spectate. She absolutely adored your Beautifly. She couldn't get enough of your performance and asked me to let you know that if I saw you."

So Drew's _friend_ wanted to complement me. Well, isn't that sweet? I could've done without knowing that, though, considering she's the reason my heart is so broken and shattered right now.

"We should all try to meet up for dinner," Drew continued to say as I silently welcomed myself back to the "conversation". "She told me that she knows a really good restaurant around here. Trust me, May. You should meet Brianna. You would love her. I know that I do. She's so…perfect. I've been waiting to find someone like her to hang out with more often."

"Y-know, Drew, I'm not really—" I started, but was stopped when he asked me.

"I'm thinking about asking her if she would like to journey to contests with me. What do you think?"

Journey with him to contests? Drew had told me once that he preferred only to travel alone. Why this sudden change? Oh…right…he met Brianna. "I think you should do whatever makes you happiest, Drew," I told him, faking happiness with the best answer that I could think of at this time. "Y-know, I think Ash wanted to go get some lunch or something. I'd better go find them."

Briskly, I walked out the door and headed outside. I definitely needed some fresh air right now. Sitting on a public bench outside the building, I allowed myself to forget why I was there, but, no matter how much I tried, I couldn't forget why I wasn't inside. Why couldn't Drew tell that I didn't want to hear him talk on and on about this girl who wasn't me? I guess that's how it was. I could only dream of hearing Drew talk that way about me. I mean…I was just some plain, ordinary girl who made too many mistakes. What would someone like Drew Hayden ever see in someone like me?

I had been looking forward to seeing the results, but, as it turned out, I missed them.

Sometime later, my friends came out and stood by the bench, alerting me to their presence. "Oh, hey, everyone."

"Drew said that you left," Ash told me, "and that you didn't see the results."

Sighing, I replied, "Yeah, he's right. I've been out here the whole time. How'd I do?"

"You were great, May," my brother congratulated me. "You placed 4th!"

I gave my friends a genuine smile. "I'm so glad!" Then my mood darkened slightly. "But I still could've done better."

"You did your best, May," Brock encouraged me, but his words did little to help me feel better. "Now, how about we go get something to eat and relax for the rest of the day? The appeals rounds are all tomorrow."

I agreed and we headed back to the place in town where we had decided to spend the weekend. We decided to get lunch at the hotel, but I can't say that I remember anything that happened. The boys ate quickly and talked constantly about who knows what. Unlike them, I kept silent, eating slowly and not daring myself to look around; I didn't want to happen to catch a glimpse of Drew with this Brianna.

After lunch, the boys decided to go swimming in the hotel pool. As my brother (whom I was sharing a room with) prepared to change into swim trunks, he asked me if I wanted to join them at the pool. Declining, I told him that I wanted to just mediate and think about how I wanted to present my pokémon tomorrow. I could tell that he wasn't exactly buying into my excuse, but he dropped the subject and went into the bathroom to change.

Once Max had left to join Brock and Ash at the pool, I lie down on the bed and let my thoughts wander. No matter how hard I tried, though, they kept coming back to Drew. **_Does he even realize? He will never know how much he means to me._**

That night, I stared up at the ceiling into the darkness. I knew that I should have been sleeping, but I just could not calm my thoughts enough to be at peace. To my left, I heard Max's soft and steady breathing. Of course he would have no trouble sleeping. He was too young to even worry about love. However, I didn't even know…was this love that I was feeling?

I knew that my performance tomorrow could suffer if I did not sleep soon, but every time I closed my eyes, I saw Drew. He was smirking at me, telling me that I'd never be good enough. He was overconfident, flicking his emerald hair as he ordered a command to one of his pokémon. He was teasing me about my lack of knowledge about leechee berries. He was grabbing my outstretched hand as we both tumbled into the raging river below. He was catching that stray Frisbee, opening his beautiful eyes to acknowledge me for the first time. He was introducing himself to me. I could still hear his tone as it rang through my thoughts. "If you must know, I'm Drew. Pokémon coordinator."

It wasn't until he consumed my thoughts that I began to understand just how many memories we had shared together. **_Does Drew even know? I wonder if he knows he's all I think about at night._**

Finally sleep did claim me, but my night was plagued by the terrors that raged on inside my head. So much for a good night's sleep.

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**Again, I'd like to apologize for being so late to get this out. I intended to get it out like 2-3 days ago. Didn't help that I had to spend yesterday in the hospital.**

**Hope the ending wasn't too…lame. Next chapter will focus on the 1st chorus, so…until then…**

**Posted: July 11, 2012**

**Edited: July 16, 2012**


	5. Night On The Beach

**I wanted to get this chapter posted sooner, but this is the first day I've felt fine since I got out of the hospital a week ago. I apologize, everyone. Anyway, we've made it to the first chorus. What will happen next? … To be honest, I don't even know. I have an idea, but I don't know for certain. This story is written as I listen.**

**So, without any further delays, the next chapter.**

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Chapter 5: Night On The Beach  
Grade Level: 3.6

In the midst of my night tremors, I tossed and turned. All I could see was him. Drew. But wait…there was someone with him, a girl. No…not her. Of course, in life, I had never seen this Brianna, but that hadn't stopped my mind from conjuring up an image of her. She was beautiful and I instantly knew that I would never compare to her in that aspect.

They faced away from me, heading in the opposite direction from me. I wanted to run after Drew, but my feet felt glued to that spot. Before they disappeared, Brianna turned back and, even with the distance, I could see her smirk. She had won. She had claimed Drew's attention.

I never liked losing…

With a gasp, my eyes snapped open and I woke up in a cold sweat from my most recent night terror. I started to take notice of my surroundings. That's right. I was in the hotel room with my little brother. Tomorrow was the appeals rounds of the pokémon contest. From my left, I heard the light breathing of my brother. Max was still asleep. Thank god…I did not know how I would explain this to him if he asked.

Rolling over quietly, I glanced at the alarm clock. 4:30 AM…and I no longer felt tired at all. Great. Silently, I slipped from my bed. Maybe a walk on the beach would help me to clear my thoughts. Last night, I hadn't bothered to change before turning in for the night, so I grabbed my pokéballs, a room key card, and left quietly.

The soft night wind felt comforting as I thought over the most recent night terror I had endured. It tossed my hair, reminding me that I had left it loose from the bandanna and pigtails in which I normally wear it.

It felt strange to be alone on the beach and I knew that, later on in the day, this place would be full of tourists sunbathing and playing in the waves. For now, though, it was just me. Me and the waves the crashed onto the shore, in and out in rhythmic sync.

I sure could use some company. Immediately, my hand went to my pokéballs and pulled out the one that I knew would be the best choice. "Skitty, come on out!" The ball opened with a red light and Skitty appeared on the beach in front of me. I sat down and watched Skitty cock its head at me before chasing its tail. **_Could Skitty tell that I was feeling depressed?_** It always did seem to be good at reading me and how I felt.

As I watched Skitty, I felt a drop of water hit the pokéball that I was still holding. Was it raining? I looked up and noticed that there were no dark clouds. Feeling another drop hit the pokéball, I lifted one of my hands to my face and noticed that I was crying. Impossible. I never cried…not because of Drew! However, there was no denying it. I wasn't close enough to get any ocean spray on my face and the water was definitely originating from my eyes.

Looking up into the clear night sky, I noticed a shooting star. I remembered a time when I was little. I had told my mother that I wanted to see "a falling star", but I had never seen one. To myself, I made a wish. It would probably never come true, but it doesn't hurt to try, right?

Skitty came over to me and tapped me with its foot. The feeling was wet; Skitty had obviously been playing in the waves. I knew that I should've been watching it, but I had let Drew consume my thoughts. Again. Would that ever stop happening? Suddenly, Skitty attention diverted to something behind me.

"Isn't it a little late to be hanging out on the beach?"

I stiffened. Not now. Why is he here now?

"Let me guess. You're nervous about tomorrow, aren't you? You already know that I'm going to beat you."

I could just imagine the smirk on his face as he flicked his hair. Just like always. When had things changed between us? "So what if I am nervous? Why would you care? It doesn't concern you, Mr. Perfect," I replied in the way I always tried to, but my words lacked their usual bite.

Without turning around, I heard him come and sit down beside me. Skitty immediately took interest in this new person and ran to him. Gently, he reached out and scratched behind one of Skitty's ears. "It's okay to be nervous, May. Everyone gets nervous…even top coordinators."

If only he really knew why I was out here, but I couldn't tell him that I wasn't out here because I was nervous. Instead, I cast a silent glance to him, taking in the scene. He looked just like he always did except that he was not wearing his purple jacket. He smiled at Skitty who enjoyed every bit of the attention it was receiving.

"Why are you here, Drew? Surely you aren't nervous for tomorrow?" I spoke up in an attempt to break the tense silence that had fallen between us. I had not meant for my words to come out sounding so harsh, though.

"To be honest, I just wanted to feel the ocean breeze. I tried sleeping with the hotel window open, but it just wasn't the same. So, I decided to take the short walk down here. Imagine my surprise when I wasn't alone like I figured I would be. However, I didn't immediately recognize you since you have your hair down, but I saw Skitty and figured I could take a chance that it was you."

"You were looking for me?" I asked.

"No, but I'm not going to go to a secluded area of the beach just because you are here, though. I've been meaning to ask you. Are you okay? You've been acting…differently lately. It just seems like something's up."

Great. Drew just played the "Are you okay?" card. What was I supposed to say to that? Tell him the truth? He would surely hate me. Giving it no further thought, I told him, "Yeah, I'm fine. Really? Look, I should get going. I've been out here for awhile." I called to Skitty, signaling for it to follow me, and started to head back to the hotel.

"May."

His voice was soft and I almost didn't hear it. Without turning around, I replied, "Yes, Drew?"

I was met with a brief silence before he told me, "You should try wearing your hair down more often. It's a different look for you."

Guess that was as close to a compliment as I might ever get from Drew about my appearance. "Thank you. Good night." I hated how formal and strained my voice sounded, but I pushed those thoughts out of my mind as I made the short walk back to the hotel. However, unwelcome thoughts of Drew reentered my mind. His voice was like music to my ears…a song…a sweet song that I wanted to put on repeat and listen to over and over again. Why, though? Why was my heart so insistent on forever hearing the beautiful melody that is Drew Hayden?

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**I think I say this everytime…I really don't like this ending. It's…lacking, I think. Maybe I'll edit it later. On the plus side, a day update. Yay! It's weird. I'm used to updating at the end of the night.**

**Looking at the song, it appears that we've made it about to the halfway point of the story. Hard to believe, I know, but…it starts getting good from here, I promise, so…I hope to talk with you again in the next chapter.**

**Posted: July 17, 2012**


	6. Flawless

**So…we've made it past the first chorus…and we're also over the halfway point for this story. Hard to believe, but songs aren't that long nowadays. Not much to say, so…on with the Pokémon contest!**

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Chapter 6: Flawless  
Grade Level: 4.5

Day two of the contest dawned bright and early. Despite my sleep troubles last night, I arrived ready to go. Nothing was going to throw me off today...not even Drew…or so I thought…

I stood in front of the television in the backstage preparation room. By watching the other matches, I planned out the pokémon I would use and which of their attacks I could use that would be both effective and appealing. Can't say that I was ever all that good at playing out scenarios in my head…Ash was a lot better at that than me, but I tried anyway; I needed something to focus on or else my mind would drift right back to Drew again. That had happened more times than I could count lately.

As I tried to plan, I felt a rush of air. Looking up, I caught as glimpse of him as the back of his hand brushed mine. It was Drew's turn to take the stage against an opponent. He had walked past me. Well…I guess he would've had to have done that anyway because he had been standing by the wall further in the room than me.

My breath clutched in my throat. It felt again like I had lost the ability to breathe. Could he tell? God, I hoped not; I felt like one of his many fan girls, but I'm not one of them…am I? Of course not, I try to convince myself. This was nothing but nerves. I knew that, since it was Drew's turn, it meant that it was one round closer to my turn. No matter how much I tried to convince myself, though, that this was the answer, it was always an obvious lie; I was not nervous for this competition. I already knew that I would do fine.

Knowing that I would not be able to concentrate on my planning as long as these thoughts had resurfaced, I allowed myself to slyly glance behind me to Drew as he made his way to the stage. His gait was perfect. Any competitor could easily tell from his posture that he was confidant and he knew himself how prepared he was for this contest.

I had often wished that I could be as flawless as Drew, but, in reality, there was no way. Anyone could tell that I made way too many mistakes. Drew, on the other hand…I did not know how much more experience he had in this, but he always portrayed himself as someone that could be looked up to…admired…someone to be jealous of. So many times I had told myself that the reason I always got so mad at him was that I was jealous…and maybe I was…at one time. No longer was I jealous of his abilities, though. Drew was an amazing coordinator and I am glad that we at least were friends. His teasing and taunting, hurtful as it was, was also helpful in pushing me to strive for better. If I had never met Drew, I may have given up this journey and returned home.

I know what you're thinking and it's not true. I do not owe my journey's continuation to Drew. That was still by my own choosing. Never know…if I hadn't met Drew, I may have given up, but I may not have. It's hard to even guess now.

My thoughts had consumed me and I never even saw Drew take the stage. However, I did see the result of his round.

"Time runs out and the winner is Drew!"

The crowd roared with cheers and Drew simply raised a fist in victory. **_He's not even surprised_**, I observe, **_he knew that he would win that round easily_**.

He exited the stage and the next contestants entered for their match. My match was still a ways off, but not far enough away to slack off. When I felt confidant with the plans I had tried to set, I walked to the backstage. Most days, I would feel nervous at this point, but not today. I felt ready, but not too ready. It's never good to be cocky…even if it does work for Drew. It sure as heck doesn't work for me.

My name is called and I run out into the lights to take the stage. **_I know that I'm not flawless and I'm not perfect like Drew. I never will be, but, just for now, please guide me and my Pokémon in this round._**

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**Again, I knew how I wanted to end this chapter, but I just couldn't put it into words. That doesn't happen very often. This whole chapter was hard to write actually. Probably because it's all thoughts and little action.**

**Next chapter looks more promising, though, so hopefully you don't judge this story on this chapter. Well, I believe that's all I have to say, so…until next chapter!**

**Published July 22, 2012**


	7. She's Lucky

**I apologize for not getting this up sooner. The one night that I tried to get on to write it, my damn laptop would not keep itself connected to the internet and I was unable to get the song lyrics. That's my only excuse. My laptop's a piece of shit…yeah…I'm ranting about it now. Better than tossing it out the window, I s'pose. That was my next plan.**

**Anyway, I apologize, but here's some new stuff anyway. Enjoy!**

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Chapter 7: She's Lucky  
Grade Level: 5.1

I had breezed through my first round. It was almost funny now how nervous I had gotten that first time I'd ever taken the stage. After all these contests, I had grown into a pretty decent coordinator. Of course, some of that credit went to Drew. If it wasn't for his critique and, later, my feelings, I dunno if I would have pushed myself to get better.

It was about time for lunch and the arena had already begun to clear. I made to exit the backstage room and meet up with my group of friends, but a pair of voices made me stop short and watch quietly from the shadows.

"Oh, Drew, you performed so awesomely! Of course, I knew right from the start that you were going to win, but all that matters is that you did win!"

My eyes widened as she threw her arms around him. I continued to stare, but it wasn't until Drew wrapped his arms over hers that I turned away. Clutching my hand to my heart, I stayed there, hoping beyond hope that I could live with a shattered heart.

Regaining myself, I turned back to see that they had broken apart and were now walking away together, hand-in-hand. I couldn't stop myself then. I let the tears fall. It was official then. This girl must be Drew's Brianna and they must now be together. She better hold him tight, give him all her love…look into those beautiful eyes and know she's lucky.

My tears fell freely now and I let them. Who would be around now anyway? Everyone else had already gone to lunch by now. The tears of sadness mixed with my feelings of anger. I was mad at myself for waiting so long to realize my feelings and being so stubborn about Drew's advances…if I could even call them that. In my aggression, I grabbed hold of the first thing I could grasp which just so happened to be a pokéball. Pulling my arm back, I made to throw it at the furthest wall from me, but my arm was stopped before I could.

"No, May!" Ash. I should've known he would stop me. He always seemed to have a habit of being around at times like this. "I don't know what got you so upset, but you can't take it out on your pokémon!"

Slowly, I let my arm relax and Ash released his grip. Slowly, I slumped down against the wall and allowed my tears to drip onto the pokéball just as they had done the night before. Over and over again, I whispered apologies to the pokémon inside. In my haste, I had not even noticed which pokéball I had grabbed.

Ash kneeled down beside me in an attempt to help me calm down. "Wanna talk about it? Pikachu's a pretty good listener."

I laughed slightly as Ash's traveling companion nodded in reply with a confidant "Pika pika!" Shaking my head, though, I told him that I would be fine and that I just wanted to get lunch.

On the way out, I went into the bathroom to wash the tear-tracks from my face. When I was done, I felt a little better and left to go enjoy lunch with my friends and put thoughts of Drew to the back of my mind until after I came back her to prepare for the second round.

I told myself that I would not let these thoughts of him ruin my chances at advancing on the road to top coordinator and I intend to keep that promise…at least…as best as I can.

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**I know it's short and I apologize…again. It's getting late and I wanted to get this out because everyone's waited long enough. You guys are awesome, but I've been writing a lot more for The Hunger Games fandom lately. I'll still be around in Pokémon, though, because I still have other stories planned for this fandom.**

**Only three more…I think…chapters left and then we move on to the next story in the series. Not getting ahead of myself, I swear.**

**So…that's all I've got…until next time…**

**Posted August 7, 2012**


	8. Put His Picture Down

**I know…that last chapter. Finally, they've been shown to be together. Oh no…what will become of May now? Well…I have the answer, but we'll play it out slow. **

**Quick review replies before we begin:**

_**theasianwonder**_**: I think I would talk to Skitty, but Ash doesn't have one of them. Also, that depends on your definition of happy…but…I think it'll be pretty happy. That's just a guess, though, of course.**

_**Guest**_** (anonymous): Thanks. I wasn't even trying for humor in this story, so I'm glad it still is funny. Haha.**

_**Tiger Priestess**_**: Couldn't have said it better myself. Well, it depends on the song. It is in a sort of order so each story will follow one after the other with only minor flashbacks if necessary. There may be small time skips, but it wouldn't be any elaborate "Two or Three Years Later…" kinda stories. **

**Okay, now since that's out of the way, it's time for the next chapter!**

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Chapter 8: Put His Picture Down

The contest was over. I did not win. Guess I shouldn't have expected to. Whenever Drew and I are both in contests, he always seemed to win them. No matter how much better I would get, I could never beat him. Of course, this time, it was entirely my fault. Allow me to explain.

In the final rounds, it came down to just me and Drew on stage vying for the prized ribbon. I had taken an early lead, but I made a crucial mistake which ultimately ended up costing me the match. I looked across the stage into Drew's emerald eyes. They had been so full of focus. Even though his opponent was me, he battled as if I was a stranger. Is that how a top coordinator had to think? That all opponents, regardless of relation to them, were strangers, all potential roadblocks blocking the desired pathway? My thoughts caused me to lose focus and before I could dig myself out of that hole, it was already too late. I had lost and Vivian was handing Drew the ribbon.

The boys had gone back to the hotel, but I had decided to walk slower, take my time heading back. It was funny almost how my thoughts did not drift so swiftly to Drew now that the contest had concluded. Was I just meant not to win that one? It sure seemed that way.

When I got back to the hotel, I found that the boys were in Ash and Brock's room. For dinner, they had gotten room service…and they actually saved me some. I would have to thank my little brother later for that because I'm pretty sure he was the one who pulled the share aside to give to me later. Not in the mood to talk much, I ate my share of the food quietly, while the boys told me that I did great and better luck next time.

Ash, Brock, and Max again decided to go for a relaxing swim in the pool, but, when they asked me, I again declined, saying that I wanted to use that time to think about the contest and how I can improve my skills. In reality, I just wanted to think. I probably would think about the contest, but I knew that thoughts of Drew would find a way to creep in as well.

While I was alone, I pulled a small delicate object out of my pack. It was a picture of Drew that one of his "fanclub" members had unknowingly dropped. I had watched it happened and, when it appeared that she would not be immediately be returning for it, I had run out quickly, picked it up, and tucked it safely away. Mine!

Looking at the picture always seemed to bring tears to my eyes nowadays, ever since Brianna had walked into his life. Who was she, anyway? To just walk right in and steal Drew's heart from me? Wait a minute…since when was Drew's heart mine? Where are these thoughts coming from all of a sudden?

As I was musing over these thoughts, I heard the door click and my little brother entered, returning from the pool. Before he could notice, I hide the picture of Drew back in its secret compartment within my pack. Once I knew it would be safe, I looked up as Max gathered his clothes for a quick shower before bed. "How was the pool? Did you have fun?"

"Yeah, it was nice." He began to walk toward the bathroom, but stopped and quickly told me, "If you're tired, you can go to bed before I get done with my shower. I can find my way to the bed if the room is dark. My bed is the closest one and the walkway's clear, so it shouldn't be a problem."

I nodded in reply and told him that I would remember that. Getting up off the bed, I pulled the covers away and started to make myself comfortable. If I was going to get any sleep tonight, I would have to feel comfortable. Max finished his shower quickly and returned before I was comfortable enough to drift off anyway.

Giving him time to settle in, I tried to relax every nerve in my body. It was a technique that I had used before, especially the night before my first ever contest. Somehow, when every nerve was relaxed, it would take only minutes to enter the peaceful oblivion of sleep. When I knew that we were both settled in, I shut out the light, letting darkness fill the space.

My picture of Drew was safely tucked away. My thoughts were, hopefully, better secured within my brain. My nerves were relaxed as best as they could be. I should be able to get some sleep tonight…right?

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**Well…no internet problems tonight, so it was a lot easier to get this all typed up for all my faithful readers out there. It's a little short, I know, but I don't want the chapters to be too long. **

**Speaking of chapters….after this one, there's only two more left. How quickly good things come to an end…but the mini-series is nowhere near the end. I still have many more stories planned for the mini-series. **

**That's all I've got for you tonight and I'm tired, so…peace out and…until next time…**

**Posted: August 9, 2012**


	9. A Calm Setting

**I promise that I did not abandon this series. In fact, I've revamped it. I think I may be adding some more songs to it, but I'm going to assess that once this part of the story/series is finished. **

**Review Replies:**

_**Tiger Priestess**_**: I may have one in Drew's POV, but this is still debatable at the moment. **

_**Guest**_** (anonymous): Hey, thanks! It was really nice to read your review.**

_**eeveeluvr**_**: Yeah, Brianna is such a jerk…and it can only get worse before it gets better…**

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Chapter 9: A Calm Setting

Somehow, I did manage to sleep last night, but I wished that I hadn't. From the minute my eyes closed and my consciousness slipped, I was forced to replay the day's loss in my dreams. No matter what I tried to do, I could not stop my dream-self from gazing into Drew's emerald eyes. No matter what, I always lost.

The night before, I had packed all my stuff so that I would be ready to go when the boys decided to continue on our journey. Of course, judging from my brother's side of the room, the boys would definitely still need some time to pack their own backpacks.

Silently, as the sun began to rise, I slipped from the room and went back down to my favorite beach to watch the sunrise over the water. The slight was so beautiful and I could not control the faint teardrops that again began to seep from my eyes.

_**It's funny**_, I couldn't help but think, _**when**_ _**I first met him, I could've cared less who he chose as his girlfriend**_. In fact, I wanted him to be miles away so that I would never have to see him or hear his snide comments. When had that changed? Now, it's even funnier that it is, in fact, Drew that is the only boy out there who could ever break my heart, shatter it into so many small pieces and make it impossible to ever make whole again.

When will I ever stop thinking about him? How can I calm these raging thoughts? I had come out here to watch the sunrise, to witness one of Earth's most beautiful moments. How did these thoughts of Drew manage to creep their way into that? Is there anything in this life, in this world, even, that would not remind me of Drew?

The sun had now fully risen, its bright rays shining over the almost-still water. Why was I still here? I'd seen the sunset (even if I had not fully focused on it). There was nothing more to see and the boys would probably be waking up soon. Yet, I did not feel like leaving the beach, so I stayed and relaxed slightly in the calm atmosphere. I needed the time to think anyway. =====================================================================

**I know, I know…this chapter is less than 400 words in length. My apologies. The next one may be a little longer, but not by much. This was a chapter to mainly show that it is not over. This story is still to be continued.**

**Now, I will be starting student teaching on Tuesday (cue teh nervousness!), but I hope to update as often as possible. This story will be in the queue line for whenever I get time to update. Til then, thanks for reading and see ya next time!**


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